Thursday, 31 January 2013

One of the most redeeming scenes
we have witnessed during the current Islamist protest against the screening of
the Kamal Hassan film Viswaroopam is the protection offered by the public to
the theaters when the film was screened in various parts of Kerala.

The Hindu reports that when the ultra-fundamentalist
Social Democratic Party of India (what a name for a group still wallowing in the tribal values
of the seventh century Arabian desert people!) tried to stop the screening of the film in government owned Kairali
theatre in Thiruvananthapuram, DYFI workers assembled at the theatre offering
protection. In other places too cultural
activists came out in support of the film and offered protection to screen the
film emboldening the theatres to continue to exhibit the film.

While in a civilized society it
is the duty of the police and other law enforcing authorities to protect the
public from hooligans, sometimes it becomes necessary for the civil society to
come forward and take on the cultural fascists who use their muscle power to muzzle
the voice of freedom and progressive values.

While we understand the decision of the producers of the film to have a discussion with the fundamentalist groups protesting against the film (after all, they are in business and has to, at least recover the money they invested), it is indeed depressing to find that in addition to the Central Board of Film Certification, the producers of a film has to get the approcval of religious nuts before a film is exhibitted to the public in India - supposely a Secular State!

Vishwaroopam comes home to plaudits, brickbats in equal
measure

Special Correspondent

(The Hindu, 26 January 2013)

Amidst protests, the fans
of actor Kamal Hassan gave a warm reception to his latest film `Viswaroopam,’
in the capital on Saturday.

As the film was not
released in Tamil Nadu, the fans of Mr.Kamal Hassan from Madurai and Tirunelveli reached the Kairali
and Sree theatre complex in the city to watch the film. The enthusiastic youth
showered flower petals and sprayed milk on the huge flex boards of the actor
put up before the theatre complex. Some of them offered pooja too. The fans had
a word of praise for the State government for taking the initiative to screen
the film. In spite of news about the protests against the film alleging that it
hurt the sentiments of a community, the theatres were crowded.

Later, a group of Social
Democratic Party of India (SDPI) took out a protest demonstration to the
theatre complex. They destroyed the boards put up before the theatre.
Meanwhile, DYFI workers under the aegis of the district committee assembled at
the theatre offering protection for the screening. Kerala Cine Exhibitors
Association president V.Mohanan told `The Hindu’ that all those cinema houses
which had stopped screening in the wake of protest will resume shows as usual
from Sunday. “Across the State, the film was released in 86 theatres, but at least
14 theatres were forced to give up the screening in the wake of protests.
Cultural activists in various regions, including Perumbavoor and Palakkad have
come out in support of the film offering protection and this has emboldened the
exhibitors to resume the screening in full swing from Sunday. Cultural and
political activists have taken an active interest in preventing such
undesirable tendencies,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition
V.S.Achuthanandan said in a statement here that the blocking the screening and
unleashing violence against the film amounted to infringement on creative
freedom and right to expression. Permission for screening the film was granted
by the Censor Board after scrutiny. The violence against theatres was cultural
fascism. Those opposing the film can campaign against it, but should not resort
to violence. This was proof of intolerance. Mr.Kamal Hassan hails from a family
which upheld religious amity. He and his brothers are symbols of religious
unity. Casting a wrong impression about a revered artiste was unfair, he said.

The SFIState
secretariat demanded the government to give due protection to the theatres
screening the film. It described the protests as uncalled for in a statement
here. Legal action should be initiated against those targeting the cinema
houses. Communal forces were trying to upset creative freedom. The attacks and
ban on a work of art were not conducive for a civilised society, the statement
said.